Aggies fall to Miami 34-17

Tony Hooten

09/20/2007

No 16 Texas A&amp;M travelled to Miami for a nationally televised ESPN Thursday night game. Miami took advantage of three first half turnovers by the Aggies to build a 24-0 halftime lead. The Aggies battled the second half but could not come back, falling 34-17. Kyle Wright completed 21 of 26 passes for 275 yards and 2 TDs to lead Miami.

No 16 Texas A&M travelled to Miami for a nationally televised ESPN Thursday night game. Miami took advantage of three first half turnovers by the Aggies to build a 24-0 halftime lead. The Aggies battled the second half but could not come back, falling 34-17. Kyle Wright completed 21 of 26 passes for 275 yards and 2 TDs to lead Miami.

The Aggies received the opening kickoff and started off tentatively on offense. On the first play from scrimmage, Michael Goodson was tackled in the backfield for a 5-yard loss, On third and long, Stephen McGee was fluched from the pocket, and stripped of the ball, but Yemi Babalola recovered for the Aggies. Justin Brantley booted a 50-yard punt to give Miami the ball at their 20-yard line.

Miami went on a methodical 18-play, 80-yard drive consuming 8:51, and scored on a direct snap to and 7-yard run around left corner by freshman running back Graig Cooper. On the drive , Miami quarterback Kyle Wright completed 6 of 8 passes on the drive for 60 yards and Miami converted 3 third downs and 1 fourth down into first downs. The extra point by Francesco Zampogna gave Miami a 7-0 lead at 3:49 in the first quarter.

The Aggies took the ensuing kickoff and drove to the Miami 35-yard line before the drive stalled and the Aggies were forced to punt. Miami picked up one first down before Aggie linebacker Misi Tupe sacked Kyle Wright for an 11-yard loss. On third-and-19 Wright dumped a short pass off to Graig Cooper, but Cooper fumbled on a tackle by Aggie lineback Mark Dodge. The fumle was recovered by Aggie safety Alton Dixon at the Miami 39-yard line. Failing to pick up a first, Matt Syzmanski attempted a 50-yard field goal but it missed wide right.

After a short completion, Kyle Wright connected with Sam Shields on a 51-yard pass giving Miami a first down at the Aggie 13-yard line. After picking up another first down, Jarvarris James dove over from the 1-yard line and Zampogna's extra point gave Miami a 14-0 lead with 4:53 left in the first half.

On the Aggies' next possession, a Stephen McGee pass intended for Martellus Bennett was intercepted by Miami linebacker Colin McCarthy and McCarthy returned it to the Aggie 22-yard line. The Aggie defense stiffened, forcing a 36-yard field goal attempt by Francesco Zampogna that missed wide right.

Michael Goodson fumbles the ball in the 2nd quarter, leading to a Miami touchdown. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

On the ensuing Aggie possession, Michael Goodson fumbled (picture above left) and it was recovered by Miami defensive end Calais Campbell at the Aggie 12-yard line. Kyle Wright completed a short pass to Graig Cooper and Cooper to in in from the 12-yard line to extend the Miami lead to 21-0 with 24 second left in the half. Aggie offensive lineman Cody Wallace fumble the Miami pooch kickoff and Miami Damien Berry recovered at the Aggie 39-line. Francesco Zampogna kicked a 45-yard field goal as first half clock expired to give the Hurricanes a 24-0 halftime lead.

At the half, Miami led Texas A&M in total yards, 190 to 39, and in first downs, 11 to 3. The Aggies three turnovers directly contributed to 10 of Miami's 24 first half points.

For A&M, Stephen McGee had completed 3 of 7 passes for 17 yards and rushed for 28 yards on 8 carries. Michael Goodson had -7 yards rushing on 6 carries and Jorvorskie Lane had not touched the ball. For Miami, Kyle Wright had completed 15 of 19 passes for 175 yards and 1 TD. Sam Shields had caught 5 passes for 81 yards and Darnell Jenkins had caught 4 passes for 35 yards.

The third quarter saw A&M and Miami with two exchanges of punts before Miami quarterback Kyle Wright fumbled on a quarterback keeper when hit by Aggie defensive tackle Kellen Heard, and the fumble was recovered my Aggie linebacker Mark Dodge at the Aggie 36-yard line. The Aggies drove to the Miami 34-yard line before turning the ball over after a failed 4th down attempt. It took Miami just 4 plays to move 64 yards, with Kyle Wright throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chris Zellner to extend the Miami lead to 31-0 with 40 seconds left in the third quarter.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Aggies drove to the Miami 1-yard line before a Miami sack of Stephen McGee forced A&M to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Matt Syzmanski. On the next Miami possession Aggie freshman safety Billy Chavis forced a fumble by Hurricane back Graig Cooper that was recovered by by Aggie whip Jordan Puch at the Miami 39-yard line. The Aggies used three consecutive 1-yard pass completions by McGee to give the Aggies a first and goal at the Miami 6-yard line. On third-and-goal, Stephen McGee snuck over from the 1-yard line to cut the Miami lead to 31-10 with 8 minutes left in the game.

A&M attempted an on-side kick but Miami recovered on the Aggie 39-yard line. Miami drove to the Aggie 1-yard line, before the Aggie goal-line defense stopped the Canes on 3 plays to force Miami to settle for a 23-yard field goal to make the score 34-10 with two minutes left in the game.

Backup quarterback Jerrod Johnson came on for the Aggies and led a 5-play, 54-yard scoring drive. Johnson scrambled and threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end Martellus Bennett in the back of the end zone with 5 seconds left in the game. Syzmanski's extra point made the final score a bit more respectable 34-17.

For the game, Miami led Texas A&M in total yards, 368 to 186, and in first downs, 16 to 10.